1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a structure for identifying a magnetic tape cartridge in which a recording medium such as magnetic tape is housed within a cartridge case.
2. Description of the Related Art
For example, a recording medium cartridge housing a magnetic tape for computer external storage units, and a recording medium cartridge housing a recording medium such as other magnetic recording mediums, an optical recording medium, etc., are in wide use for various purposes.
There are cases where, in these recording medium cartridges, a recording medium with increased recording capacity by an enhancement in recording density is housed in a cartridge case of the same shape, thus assuring interchangeability. In these circumstances, however, a change in the shape of the existing cartridge cases is desired to enable discrimination among cartridges of differing densities.
In the recording medium cartridges mentioned above, a write protection member movable between a write enable position and a write inhibition position is installed so that data is not written to the recording medium inadvertently.
In the case where the color and shape of components are greatly changed to identify a recording medium cartridge with increased recording capacity, it is troublesome to fabricate the recording medium cartridge while continuing to fabricate the existing cartridges. In addition, the number of components is increased and the management becomes troublesome.
Furthermore, there are cases where head-cleaning tape is housed in the same cartridge, and there is also a need to distinguish the recording medium cartridge from the head-cleaning cartridge.
The present invention has been made in view of the circumstances mentioned above. Accordingly, it is the primary object of the present invention to provide a magnetic tape cartridge that can be identified by a write protection member.
To achieve this end, there is provided a structure for identifying a recording medium cartridge in which a recording medium is housed within a cartridge case. The structure has an opening formed in the cartridge case; a write protection member, installed in the opening, for inhibiting data from being written to the recording medium; a recognition window formed in the write protection member; and identification display, installed within the cartridge case, which is visible through the recognition window.
When the write protection member is at a write enable position, the recognition window of the write protection member faces the opening of the cartridge case so that the identification display can be recognized.
The aforementioned identification display is provided so that it can be visually observed by color display or symbol display, performed on the cartridge case by putting leaf, printing, or a relief. Note that in the aforementioned opening of the cartridge case, an immovable pseudo write protection member may be installed to identify a recording medium cartridge in which head-cleaning tape is housed.
According to the present invention, the write protection member disposed in the opening of the cartridge case is provided with a recognition window, and the identification display installed within the cartridge case is visible through the recognition window. With this arrangement, the recording capacity, etc., of a recording medium can be identified through use of a simpler structure. In addition, by changing only the identification display without changing the write protection member, various kinds of identification can be achieved.
A recording medium cartridge housing head-cleaning tape may be identified by installing a write protection member so that it cannot be moved. In this case, a clear discrimination can be made between a recording medium cartridge housing a recording medium and a recording medium cartridge housing head-cleaning tape.